African American Studies Classes

Psychology of Hip Hop (AAS 250)

Time: M/W/F 12:20 - 1:10 p.m.Instructor: DeReef Jamison

Psychology of Hip Hop uses hip hop music and culture as conceptual lenses for analyzing and interpreting the life experiences of people of African descent throughout the African diaspora. Drawing mainly on psychology as well as other social sciences, this course is intended to provide students with an understanding of the psycho-historical and psycho-social development of African Americans relative to hip hop culture. This course explores and examines the thesis that African American music is an expression of African American life. Thus hip hop music and culture serve as soundtracks that allow the opportunity to listen to and learn from this particular manifestation of what Du Bois labelled the souls/psychology of Black folk.